The 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer reports an unprecedented decline in employer trust. It’s a troubling shift, given that workplace trust is essential to organizational success. Higher trust correlates directly with improved talent outcomes and engagement, according to MetLife’s annual employee benefit trends study. Employees who trust their organization are 3.8 times more likely to have healthy outcomes and 2.8 times more likely to feel they can be productive. So, what is a forward-thinking employer to do? 

At a time when external forces can shake employee confidence, MetLife is leaning into what it can control: how it responds. During a fireside chat at From Day One’s Manhattan conference, Shurawl Sibblies, EVP, chief HR officer at MetLife, described how the organization is fostering trust through open communication, transparent leadership, and inclusive career development, creating a workplace where employees feel supported and empowered to grow.

“We are living through some interesting times where the employee/employer relationship is really under pressure like never before. Whether it’s economic uncertainty or the rapid rate at which we are seeing technological changes, the workforce is really facing a lot of complex emotions right now,” said moderator Cadie Thompson, executive editor at Business Insider. “At the center of it all is this critical, very fragile component, which is trust.”

The key to building a more stable environment, Sibblies says, is first to understand exactly what challenges people are facing, or the “why” behind their uncertainty. A MetLife study found that 81% of employees rely on their leaders to create a trusting environment, one that can support positive outcomes and productivity, she says. 

Employers can foster that strong foundation through open dialogue. “One of the things we learned, especially over the last few years, is you have to have open, transparent, honest communication,” Sibblies said. “Two-way dialogue creates an opportunity for people to share perspective with you. And you have to listen. It’s so important to listen, and when you ask for feedback from people, you actually have to do something with it.” 

MetLife puts this into practice through town halls with its CEO, called “Let’s Talk Live.” Employees can ask questions in real time, and the CEO answers directly. “You can’t dodge the hard topics. If you’re going to say, ‘let's talk live,’ it means you are open to what is on people’s minds.” Sibblies encourages leaders to be honest about what they know and what they don’t know yet. “[Vulnerability] makes a difference in the culture.” 

One significant barrier to trust in today’s workplace is the increasing uncertainty surrounding emerging technologies and their potential impact, or even elimination, of certain job positions. Thompson cites a KPMG study that reports 54% of people are wary of trusting AI, and almost as many are worried about its impact on the workforce. But AI isn’t going anywhere, so employers need to tackle their strategy head-on and be transparent with their workers about what is next. 

Sibblies suggests positioning AI in your communications as it relates to your organization’s overall mission. “It's not ‘AI in isolation.’ It's in service of what you are doing for your customers. It should be in service of what you need to do for your employees and how they’re getting their work done,” she said. Providing fundamental education on responsible AI usage can also help reduce the fear of the unknown. From there, you can help certain employees dig deeper into AI specialization as needed. MetLife is investing its resources in developing ways AI can be used and managed by humans in everyday applications to make their work more effective. 

Again, it comes back to communications. “Your company wouldn’t exist today if it wasn’t constantly growing and evolving, which means your people have been growing and evolving,” Sibblies said. “There are lots of ways to lead with curiosity and focus on curiosity and critical thinking.” Talking about AI in the context of your corporation’s ongoing story positions it as “another muscle being developed” rather than something completely foreign.

Employee Growth and Appreciation as a Pathway to Trust

“Climbing the corporate ladder isn't what it used to be,” Thompson said, noting that the shapes of organizations are changing, with fewer middle management positions. Sibblies encourages leaders to have ongoing “candid career conversations” with employees about their ambitions. Then, follow up those conversations with solid opportunities to develop and grow, ideally within the organization. “My responsibility as a leader is to help my people,” she said. “Growth starts with marrying the person's aspiration and ambition with where the company has a need, and [where] it’s also growing.” 

MetLife offers employees an AI-driven resource called My Path, which enables them to articulate their goals and be matched with internal opportunities, such as stretch projects, volunteer events, or open positions in other departments. Sibblies says this helps engagement by cultivating employee ambassadors. “They realize, ‘Wow, I can do something new and also contribute to the company,’” she said. 

Consistent recognition and rewards when employees rise to a challenge also build a supportive, secure, and reliable environment where they feel safe to take risks and reach higher. “Benefits are really powerful, because you show up for people in times of their greatest need,” Sibblies said. “You don’t want to have to choose between your health and well-being and being able to earn a living. You want an employer to be able to back you in those times.” Providing access to a variety of benefits options so employees can choose what is best for their family engenders their trust in your organization. 

“When you think about people you trust, you trust them because they’re consistent, they show up for you,” Sibblies said. “That’s our responsibility as employers. Show up for people, be consistent, be open with them. Culture truly matters.” 

Katie Chambers is a freelance writer and award-winning communications executive with a lifelong commitment to supporting artists and advocating for inclusion. Her work has been seen in HuffPost, Top Think, and several printed essay collections, and she has appeared on Cheddar News, iWomanTV, On New Jersey, and CBS New York.

(Photos by Hason Castell for From Day One)